St. John’s Falls to UAlbany, 9-5

Friday, March 10

Queens, N.Y. (Kaiser Stadium)

2 p.m.

St. John's University

7-5

UAlbany

2-5-1

UAlbany

St. John's

3/10/2023 5:59:00 PM | Baseball

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Marty Higgins and Tate Ballestero tally three hits apiece in Friday’s setback

QUEENS, N.Y. – The St. John's baseball team dropped its series opener to UAlbany, 9-5, at Jack Kaiser Stadium on Friday.

Third baseman Marty Higgins continued to swing a hot bat on Friday, going 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Tate Ballestero also tallied three hits in Friday's contest, crossing home plate twice. Outfielder David Glancy provided his third home run of the year in a 2-for-4 day at the dish to go with two RBIs.

Seven of the team's nine starters recorded a base knock against the Great Danes while the trio of Aaron Mann, Blake Mayberry and Kevin Michaels scored once.

After a three-run opening frame by UAlbany (2-5-1), the Johnnies quickly responded with a four-run home half of the first. Glancy smashed a two-run shot after a leadoff single from Mayberry to cut the deficit to one, 3-2. The Red Storm (7-5) rattled off four singles in the next five at-bats with RBI base knocks from Higgins and Jace Jeremiah to take the lead, 4-3.

Starter Sonny Fauci settled in with back-to-back scoreless innings in the second and third. In the latter frame, Higgins and Ballestero connected to catch UAlbany's Victor Mazzara in a rundown on the third base line, keeping the Great Danes off the board.

Following a blank fourth, UAlbany tied the game at four on a solo shot from Dan Tauken in the fifth frame. Nick Cirelli allowed just the one hit in his outing, retiring eight of the next nine batters. The BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll selection picked up his second win of the season, finishing his 2.2 innings of work with four strikeouts.

Once again, the Red Storm retaliated in the home half as Higgins drove an RBI single through the right side for a 5-4 advantage through five innings.

Both squads were held off the board in the sixth and seventh innings before a five-run frame in the top of the eighth gave UAlbany a 9-5 lead they would not relinquish.

Due to forecasted inclement weather tonight, the Johnnies have pushed back Saturday's game with the Great Danes to 2 p.m. at Jack Kaiser Stadium.